SOUTH AFRICA: 25TH ANNUAL GRAHAMSTOWN FESTIVAL HELD IN JOHANNESBURG

Record ID: 545912

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: 25TH ANNUAL GRAHAMSTOWN FESTIVAL HELD IN JOHANNESBURG
  • Date: 7th July 1999
  • Summary: OUTDOOR THEATRE PERFORMING PLAY ENTITLED 'KABOOM' - ACTORS CALLED BHEKI MKHWANE AND ELLIS PEARSON STEEL BAND PERFORMING TO AN OUTDOOR AUDIENCE
  • Embargoed: 22nd July 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Entertainment,People
  • Reuters ID: LVA1HTP79K6AWZP2ROGTJK84OZ5N
  • Story Text: Apart from arts aficionados, few will have heard of the Grahamstown Festival - but in it's 25th year it has a growing reputation and is reputedly the second biggest of its kind in the world - after the Edinburgh Festival.
    The largest and most vibrant celebration of South Africa's newly emerged 'rainbow nation' culture ended on Sunday (July 11) having seen performances ranging from legendary jazz singers, theatre art to children's steel bands.
    Once a year the English nineteenth century cathedral town of Grahamstown in South Africa hosts the Standard Bank National Arts Festival.For eleven days each year it is - for arts lovers - 'the only place to be.' The usually quiet town in the Eastern Cape becomes a mecca for lovers of the arts.People come from far and wide to enjoy theatre, dance, opera, jazz, poetry and every other art form imaginable.All tastes are catered for - with the introduction of techno raves, cyber cafes and carnivals for the slightly more modern arts lover.
    The festival began in 1974 with around sixty acts.
    Today, the festival attracts over two thousand performances, watched by over one hundred thousand people.
    Not only do visitors get to enjoy the festival itself, but they are also treated to the spectular history and architectural paradise of Grahamstown.
    Founded in 1812 by Colonel John Graham as a military headquarters for British troops, the small town prospered when diamonds and gold were discovered underground.It has remained virtually unchanged after all these years, with the town still boasting early settler cottages, Victorian villas, Georgian mansions, museums and monuments.
    For two and a half weeks each July, Grahamstown is taken over by a mass of artists, directors, performers, vendors and tourists.The town does not sleep for eleven days as an almost electric atmosphere envelopes the tiny town - talent scouts constantly on the look-out for the next big thing, famous actors wandering around, restaurants and bars overflowing with festival-goers.And this year was no exception.
    The festival attracts some of the biggest names in the arts world.African diva Sylvia Mdunyelwa, performed to a packed hall in the Jazz Hotel, where she delighted the audience with her powerful performance.One fan exclaimed "She's an absolute diva.It's magnificent - beyond my expectations.Her voice, the quality of her voice is absolutely superb.She just deserves a bigger venue."
    The National Arts festival is living proof that arts and culture can have a huge economic and developmental impact on communities.Grahamstown benefits from a major source and employment and income when the festival takes place, helping to sustain many of the local small businesses when the tourists visit each year.
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